Parlor-car chair



May 6, 1930. B.' v.- souTo Er A1. y 1,757,551 PARLoR GAR CHAIR Filed March 23, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l l 3. r WIW 'HH L? .1| in Nimh) Il e May 6, 1930. B. v; somo Er AL 1,757,551

PARLOR CAR CHAIR .Filed March 25. 1929 4` Sheets-Sheet 2 MW i .(IIN

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A 5 Wy- May 6, 1930. B. v; soUTojl--r AL 1,757,551

PARLOR CAR CHA IR `Filed March 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 6, 1930 B. Vf SOUTO ET AL PARLOR CAR CHAIR Filed March 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Shea?l 4 uw w .w 0M W wm www5. mw mw @Y u am s \\S La w mm am @v. a ma@ Nv @x W N. W M Nv Mw f5 mma. NM'

Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALDOllllIE-RO` VIRGILIO SOUTO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND WILLIAM PHILLIPS COM.- STOCK, OF NEWARK, NEW' JERSEY PARLOR--CAR CHAIR Application filed March 23, 1929.

This inventionrelatesto parlor car chairs that are transformable into berths.

The invention comprises combinations of demountable backs, folding arms, and traveling pedestals thatmakeitpossible to get variety of combinationsthat may be used in a parlor car or in` a combined parlor and sleeping car.

The invention comprises as a principal feature upholstered seat and side arms, the

latter being provided With hinges that will` be lowered beloW the top of the seat when the arms are hinged down into horizontal positions.

Another feature of the invention comprises a combination of a demountable rectangular back for the chair to be used in an upright position for arm chair use and in a` horizontal position with the arms turned down to form a bench.

Another feature comprises means for moving the chair on a track, the chair being carried on a truck for this Vpurpose and provided with means for shifting the weight of the chair fromtthe truck tothe floor and vice versa;

Other minor features will be described in connectionwvith the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the chair.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3` is an enlarged view of the arm holdingmechanism.

Figure 4 is a detail sect-ion of the same on line 4.--1 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a` horizontal section on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a front elevation partly in section of the arm holdingl mechanism in itsraised position. Figure 7 is asimilar view in the lowered position. i Figure 8 is'ahorizontal lsectional View of thelock and key for the arm mechanism.

Figure 9- is a side view of the lower end of theback.

Figure10 is a back'view ofthe same.

Figure 11 is aside view showing the bolt connectingthe arm with the back.

Figure 11a 1s a back view of the same.

Serial No. 349/100.

Figure 12 is a plan View of the same.

Figure 13 is a detail vieu'v of the same.

Figure 14 is a front view of the chair made into a bench.

Figure 15 is a side view of the same.

Figure 16 is a section through part of the chair baclr and the wall on line 16--16 of Figure 1e.

Figure 17 is a longitudinal section through the chair pedestal showing the truck andthe conduit therefor.

Figure 18 is a horizontal sect-ion on line 155-18 of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a transverse vertical section on line 19-19 of Figure 17` showing the chair pedestal resting onthe floor.

Figure 20 is a similar view showing the pedestal carried by the truck.

The chair is made up of four principal members comprising a pedestal 1, seat E2, arms 3, and back f1. Theseat, arms and bach` are made in rectangular box form and are upholstered in the usual manner to form cushioned surfaces. 011e ofi the objects of the invention is to make a berth out of theseat and arms, and for this purpose7 the arms are hinged to the seat or to the chair frame carrying` the seat so that the arms may be turned down and form extensions of the seat to make a horizontal berth. It Ais desirable that the hinges shall not approach near enough to the upholstered surface of the berth to be felt by a figure recumbent thereon,` and the hinges now to be described have the function of droppingbelow the surfaceof the seat when the arms are lowered. The hinges comprise two members 5 and 6 united by pivots or pintles 7. The members 5 are securely fastened to the lower edges of the arms 3 While the members 6 are made slidable Within guides 8 secured to the seat or more properly to the chair frame supporting the seat. the chair frame being indicated at 9. Pivoted at 10 to the guide 8, and therefore to the chair or seat, are elements 11 of toggles Which in turn are pivoted at 12 to toggle elements 13, the upper ends of Which are pivoted at 14 to the outside of the arms 3. The length of elements 11 and 13 is such that When in their extended position, as shown in Figure 6, the

arms 3 will be held in their uppermost position with pivots 7 about on the level wit-h the top of the seat 2 and the arms slightly overhanging the seat, as is usual in arm chair construction. When, however, the toggle is collapsed, as shown in Figure 7, the members 6 slide downward through the guides 8 as the arm is swung outward until the members reston top of the guides 8, at which timethe toggle members in their collapsed condition form diagonal braces for the support of the arms, as shown in Figure 7. l/Vhen in the elevated position, the toggles are held rigid by means of bolts which are slidable against the outside surface of the members 13 so as to hold said members rigidly vertical and close against the sides of the arms. The bolts are guided in a guide housing 16 and are held resiliently in their locking position by means of springs 17 having for abutments lugs 1 8 on the side of the arms. The bolts may be retracted by means of connecting rods 19 and cranks 20, the cranks having shafts pivoted in the side of the chair as at 22, and

provided with square heads23 over which may be fitted an operating key 24. Vhen the key is 'placed on the shaft, a slight twisting motion will withdraw the bolts 15 so :as to release the members 13, whereupon the arm may be lowered into the position shown in Figure 7, so that the upholstered surface of the arm willlie flush and closely adjacent to the upholstered surface of the seat, and yet the hinge pivot 7 will have been lowered to a position sulhciently below the upholstered surfaces as to not be capable of being felt by aperson lying on the berth. As the bolts 15 are released when the arms are lowered, they slide over the members 13 and have edges that make a flat contact with said members while in motion and release at the end of the motion to lock the arms in their lowered position by sliding into the angular space between the toggle members. In order to prevent the possibility of the lowered arms being tipped up, the members 11 may have dogs 11 adapted to engage in openings 6 in the slid able member 6 when the arms are lowered, which dogs will act as locks to prevent the rocking of the arm members by any pressure applied on the outer edge of the arms. rlhe chair seat is mounted on the pedestal 1 with a swivel so that it may be swung to different horizontal angles. rilhis makes it permissible to swing the chairs at any desired angle when used as chairs, and when used as a berth, to move the chairs with their longest dimensions parallel, three such chairs when moved into juxtaposition forming a berth of the conventional size. The chairs may also be converted into benches. For this purpose, the backs 4 are made of greater height than width and are demountable from the chairs. Ther are supported by hinged stirrups or brackets 25 which depend from the bottom the chair.

of the chair frame at the back. These stirrups 25 are, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, made of round rod bent to conform to the shape of the lower edge of the back, having a lip 26 at the outer end to hold the back against rlhe arms 3 are provided with slidable bolts 27 (see Figure 11) which have lugs 28 on their outer ends adapted to be turned in behind the backs to hold the backs firmly to the arms, the bolts having heads 29 to l,

limit their outward extension. When the backs are demounted, the bolt is turned so that the lugs 28 will pass by the side of the backs and may be pushed into pockets 30 in the ends of the arm, the bolt itself sliding into the pocket 31. When the backs are demounted from the chair assembly, they may be turned on their side, andY assembled as a bench back for the bench, made up of the seat 2 and the arms 3 in their lowered position, as shown in Figure 14. When made up as abench in'this manner, supplemental arms 32 may be provided on the outer edges of the arms 3. The supplemental varms are provided withlatches or hook members 33 which when the arms are not in use, may be folded into pockets 34, and when the arms are assembled on the bench, engaged under the bench so as to lock the said supplemental arms in place. "When used as a bench, itis purposed to have the bench pushed up againsta Vwall shown at 35, and as a means of securing the backs and supplemental arms to the wall, we have shown pivoted latches 36 see Figure 16) which, when not in use, may be folded into pockets 37 in the wall, and yet maybe pulled out and form supporting hooks engagingwith latch-plate 38 on the back and' arms. In order to movethe chair about in the car for the purpose of assemblingvtwo v conduit 39, the upper flanges 40 of which are separated so as to form a slot 41. rlhe truck comprises aframe 42 having vertical extensions 43 that pass down through the slot 41 and carry journals 44 for truck wheels 45. The pedestal 1 ,is made hollow as shown so as to cover the frame 42, and the frame has vertical extensions 46 that pass up through a transverse bar 47 of the pedestal and are united at the top by a cross arm 48. An eccentric or cam 49 occupies the space between the member 47 and the member 48. The cam has a shaft 50 which extends through the side of the pedestal and has a lever 51 which may be operated by the foot or otherwise.

Springs 52 tend to occupy the space between pressed asin4 Figure 19,' the cam actingon member 48v lifts the frame 42 until the truck` wheels are clear of the floor of the conduit, at the sametimelowering the pedestal to rest `firmly on the Hoor. Flanges 53 on the frame engage under the flanges 4t() on each side of the slot. 4l when the lever 5l is depressed, and

lock the chair securely tothe floor. At 54 is-shown a trap door at the end of the conduit through which the truck may be removed in case it is desired to remove thechair from the car.

The above specification gives a description of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, but many of the details should be regarded as only specific means of carrying. out the gene-ral idea, anclmay be varied considerably without. departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim.:

1. A parlor car chair comprising incombination, upholstered side arms and seat, vertic-ally. movable hinges jointing the arms to the seat` to permit the arms to be turned down from a vertical-to ahorizontal position closely adjacent the seat, means for holding the pivotal members ofthe hinge in an upperposition when the arms are vertical, means for supportingthe said pivotal members in a lower position when the arms are lowered, and means for locking said holding means when the` arms are'upright, said holding means comprising toggles and said locking means comprising bolts for holding the toggles in their extended position.

2. A parlor car chair comprising in combination, upholstered side arms and seat, vertically movable hinges jointing the arms to the seat to permit the arms to be turned down from a vertical to a horizontal position closely adjacent the seat, means for holding the pivotal members of the hinge in an upper position when the arms are vertical, means for supporting the said pivotal members in a lower position when the arms are lowered, and means for locking said holding means when the arms are upright, said holding means comprising toggles and said locking means comprising bolts for holding` the toggles in their extended position, the toggles in their collapsed position forming brackets supporting the lowered arms.

3. A parlor car chair comprising in combination, a chair frame, an upholstered seat and upholstered arms, hinges having two members united by a pivot, one member of each hinge secured to an arm and the other member slidable vertically on the chair frame, guides on the frame for said slidable members, means for holding the said hinge mem-- bers in their elevated positions and means for releasing said holding means to allow the arms to be swung out on the hinges and the hinges lowered to be below the surface of the seatwhen the armsare in their lowered position.

4. A parlor car chair comprising in combination, a chair frame, an upholstered seat and upholstered arms, hinges having two` releasing said holding means to` allow the arms to be swung out on the hinges and the hinges lowered to be below the surface of the seat when the arms are in their lowered post tion, said holding means comprising toggle members that initheir extended relation form outside braces for the arms and in their folded relation form a bracket upon which` the arms rest. y

5. A parlor car chair comprisingl in combination, a. chair frame, an upholstered seatV and upholstered arms, hinges having two members united by a pivot, one member of each hinge secured to an arm and the other member slidable vertically onthe chair frame, guides on the frame for said slidable menr bers, means for holding the said hinge members in their elevated positions and means for releasing said holding means to allow the arms to be swung out on the hinges and the hinges lowered to be below the surfaceof the seatl when the arms are in their lowered posi-` tion, said holding means comprising toggles hinged at one. end to the-chair frame and at their other ends toY the arms,

6. A parlor car seat comprising in com.-

bination, anupholstered seat and upholstered side arms, vertically slidable hinge members connecting the arms with the seats, and toggle levers connecting the seat with the arms to` slide the hinges downward asthe arms are swung outward on thefhinges,

7. A parlor car chair comprising in combination, a chair frame, a seat, side arms. hinges connecting the side arms4 to thechair and adapted to support the side arms. vertically to form an arm chair or horizontally to form an extension seat for a bench. and a demountable rectangular back adapted t0 be,

secured to the chair and to the side arms in their upright position` to form an arm chair or to be supported with its longer sides horizontal at the back of the chair and the lowered side arms to form a' bench, with a supporting bracket on the chair for the lower edge of the back and means for securing the back to the arms, comprising an l.-shaped bolt slidably mounted in the arms.

8. A parlor car chair comprisingin combi-- nation,` a chair frame, a seat, side arms, hinges connecting the side arms to the chair and` adapted to support the side arms vertically to form` an arm chair or horizontally to form` an extension seat for a bench anda demountthrough the able rectangular back adapted to be secured to the chair and to the side arms in their uparms with means for securing the same toV the lowered hinged side arms.

` 9.- A parlor ear chair Comprising in combination, a chair frame, a pedestal for said frame, a wheeledl truck supporting the pedestal, a slotted car floor, meansV for shifting the weight of the pedestal and chair from the truck to 'the' Heer, `and means extending slot for Clamping the pedestal to the floor; Y

y 10. all parlorear Chair Comprising in combination, a chair trame, afhollow pedestal supporting said frame, a truel-n-'ay beneath the iioor having side flanges t the top with a slot between them, a w ieeled truck in said truelrway, a support for the pedestal on the truck passing through the said slot, meansA l1; A. parlor car Chair comprising in com-^ bina'tion, a Chair frame, a hollow pedestal supporting said fram@ a truck-way beneath il., the floor vhaif'lng'side flanges at the top with a slot between them, a wheeled truck in sald truck-way, a support tor the pedestal on the `truck passing through the said slot, means within the pedestal for lifting the support to elevate the truck and let the pedestal rest on the door, an operators lever outsidethe pedestal Connecting with the lifting means inside the pedestal.

l2. A parlor ear chair Comprising in comb-ination7 a chair frame, a hollow pedestal supporting said frame, a. truck-way beneathv the floor having truck-way, a support orthe pedestal on the truck passing through the said slot, means within the'pedestal for lifting the support to elevate the truck and let the pedestal rest on the floor, an operators lever outside the pedestal Connecting with the lifting means inside the'pedestal, the said lifting means being self-locking in each of its eXtreme positions.

13. YA parlor ear chair Comprising in combination, a chair iframe7 a pedestal for said frame, a wheeled truck supporting the pedestalfa slotted car floor, means for shifting the weight of the pedestal and chair from the truck .to the Hoor, and means extending 'through the slot for Clamping the pedestal to the floor, the said supporting means having a resilientmember between the truck and the pedestal for spring supporting the Chair when free of the floor.

side flanges at the top with a slotbetween them, a wheeled truck vin said Laet/gear 14:. A parlor car lchair comprising in combination, a chair frame, an upholstered seat and upholstered arms, hinges having two members united by a pivot, one member of each hinge secured to an arm and the other member slidable vertieally7 on the chair frame, guides on the frame for said slidable members, means for holding the said hinge members in their elevated positions, means for releasing said holding means to allow the arms to be swung out on the hinges and the hinges lowered to be below the surface or the seat when the arms are in their lowered position, and means for locking the vertically slidable member in its lowered position.

15. A parlor ear Chair comprising in combination, upholstered side arms and seat, vertieally movable hinges jointing the arms to the seat to permit the arms to be turned down from a vertical to a horizontal position closely adjacent the seat7 means for holding the pivotal members of the hinge in an upper position when the arms are Vertical,V means for supporting the said pivotal members in a lower position when the arms are lowered, and means'ior locking said holding means when the arms are lowered, said holding means comprising toggles and said locking means Comprising bolts for holding the toggles in their extended position.

BALDOMERO VIRGILO SOUTO.

"WLLAM PHILLIPS COMSTOCK. 

